The winters here in Pittsburgh can be brutal. We all love the occasional outing into the snow, but when it comes down to it, you really need your home to stay warm and cozy. In order to make that happen, you need your heating system to be in good working order. However, sometimes it can be difficult to tell when your heating system needs repairs.

Low Air Flow

This is a very common heating problem in Pittsburgh. Here are a few causes of low air flow.

Air filter – If you have a forced air system like a furnace or heat pump, then you likely have a filter to keep dust and dirt from building up on the moving parts inside. If this filter isn’t changed regularly, it can cause a bunch of problems.

Fan – The fan inside your air handler is responsible for pushing the heated air throughout your home. If it isn’t working right, it could result in not enough air coming out of the registers.

Insufficient Heat

This is another common problem that we get calls for service for in Pittsburgh – here are common causes of insufficient heating:

Air filter – Again, regularly changing the air filter can keep your heating system working effectively.

Thermostat – Your thermostat is responsible for regulating the temperature in your home. If it isn’t working correctly, it could be telling your heating system that the home doesn’t need heat, so it doesn’t turn on when it needs to.

Dirty burner – Sometimes, the burner in your heating system can become so dirty that only a part of the burner is actually working. This can cause insufficient heat in your home as well.

No Heat

Finally, if your heating system isn’t producing any heat, here are a few reasons why this could be:

Thermostat – Like before, a faulty thermostat can cause your heating system not to turn on at all.

Pilot light and/or Thermocouple – It’s expected that your pilot light will go out occasionally. But if it starts to happen often, you may want to call a heating technician. Also, the thermocouple is a fantastic safety device for your gas-fired system. It sits next to the pilot light and detects when there is flame. If it senses that the pilot has gone out, it shuts off the flow of gas. This keeps your gas-fired heating system from filling your basement with gas fumes. If it is malfunctioning, it could be shutting off the flow of gas and keeping you from getting any heat.